Where to stay in Turkey
Treat yourself in the trendy modern spa of the Dionysos Estate, or retreat to a more remote resort by the sea in Turkey.
Dionysos Estate, Kumlubuk
What's so special
Situated on the edge of a canyon among olive, lemon and fig trees, this resort offers guests a low-key Turkish break and fantastic views of the sea.
How they rate it
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"Run as a private house with all the whizz-bang of a showstopper, this is that perfect Turkish getaway we've all been looking for," says Tatler. "The views are unrivalled, the pool is Olympic-size and there are lovely hillside cottages." The rooms, cottages and villas have all been refurbished for this season and are a "haven of cool white and earthy tones", says Caroline Shearing in The Daily Telegraph. The spa is fantastic, says Tatler. Of the treatments, "the pick of the lot, worth booking months in advance, is Marja Putkisto's Face Clinic". It is claimed that this reduces lines and eases tension in your face, leaving you looking younger.
The menu
There are three restaurants. The Dionysos Terrace serves a Mediterranean-inspired menu; the Dionysos Sea Club offers fish dishes; and then there's Nar, which has a 12-course Turkish tasting menu.
The cost
A seven-night B&B package with flights costs from £750 per person. For more information, visit www.exclusiveescapes.co.uk, or call 020-8605 3500.
Beyaz Yunus Faralya
What's so special
It's hard to find a more remote Turkish resort than Beyaz Yunus Faralya. Situated in a clearing in front of dense forest, the hotel is reached by a winding, bumpy dirt track that you'll need a four-wheel-drive car to navigate. Luckily the hotel owners are happy to collect you from the airport in their own vehicle. The seven bedrooms are situated on a cove. All offer views of the sea.
How they rate it
The style of the hotel is "less designer, more eco-folksy, with rough wooden verandas, organic produce from the garden, kayaks at the jetty and free guided walks along the nearby Lycian Way (with a boat ride home after lunch)", says Stephen Bleach in The Sunday Times. "Think ultimate seclusion where there's few enough guests to go all day barely bumping into anyone," says Lucy Hutchings in Marie Claire. The atmosphere is so laidback there is even an honesty bar: just help yourself to drinks.
The menu
The hotel "prides itself on creating authentic Turkish cuisine from the freshest local produce", says Hutchings. Guests are encouraged to visit the kitchen to learn the recipes for themselves.
The cost
Prices start from £750 for a week's half-board. Find out more at www.exclusiveescapes.co.uk, or call 020-8605 3500.
What the travel writers are saying
Converted breweries make great places to stay, says Sophie Lam in The Independent. Here are four of the best.
The Hotel du Vin in Henley-on-Thames is situated in a "handsome Georgian building" that wears its history with pride: "Henley Brewery" is still "emblazoned across the brick wall of the former Brakspears Brewery". Inside, the hotel has plenty of original features, from factory windows to timber rafters mingled in with sleek fittings. Rooms start from £140 (Hotelduvin.com).
Part of The Augustine Hotel in Prague (pictured) is a 13th-century monastery that is still inhabited by monks. The best part of the hotel is underground, where the St Thomas Brewery houses the Brewery Bar, "complete with stalagmites, stalactites and a menu of Czech beers". Rooms cost from €352 (Theaugustine.com).
The former Germania brewery in Munster is now home to Factory Hotel, where the "interiors are modern, with concrete, pale wood flooring and white walls throughout". But things liven up in the basement of the original brewery where there are two bars, Spanish and German restaurants, and a nightclub. Doubles start from €69 (Factoryhotel-muenster.de).
The Montcalm in London is situated on the site of the old Whitbread brewery. It offers "sleek bedrooms with high-spec fittings". For rooms with original features, book one of the Heritage Brewery Suites. Prices start at £172 (Themontcalmlondoncity.co.uk).
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